Safety match-box.



PATENTED MAR. 13, 1906.

R. L. STORM. SAFETY MATCH BOX. APPLICATION FILED mm so, 1905.

JNVENTOR. Pal pk 11.05 127 rm,

WITNESSES:

UNITED STATES RALPH L. STORM, OF WATERLOO, IOWA.

SAFETY MATCH-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 13, 1906.

Application filed June 30, 1905. Serial No. 267,697.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, RALPH L. STORM, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Waterloo, Blackhawk county, Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Match Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to match-boxes; and

the object of my invention is to rovid'e a separate compartment in a mate box arranged for the ignition of a match and having suitable means for perventing the egress of sparks or flying ignited particles at the moment of ignition. This object I have eflected by the means which are hereinafter described and claimed and which are illustrated in the drawings hereto annexed, in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved match-box. Fig. 2 is another front elevation with the front cover of the ignitioncompartment removed. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section illustrating the method of igniting a match in the ignition-compartment so as to prevent the egress of flying ignited particles, and Fig. 4 is an under plan View of the said match-box.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

I am well aware that match-boxes having attached thereto means for igniting a match have been made in various atterns; but my express purpose is to com ine with the ignition compartment such means as will prevent efliectually the egress of ignited particles, such as often fly from the so-called parlor-matches, at the moment of ignition, endangering the safety of the manipulator or liable to set fire to hangings or inflammable fabrics near by. I have accomplished this object in the construction herewith illustrated, which consists of a match-box a of an ordinary t e, which is provided with a compartment elow, closed on all sides except for a curved slot 0 in its front plate. The inner surface of the back late is roughened to provide an igniting p ane 01. Within the compartment b is placed a three-sided slidepiece 6, having a slotted opening f. The

slide-piece is arranged so as to have its open side adjacent to the roughened ignitingplate.

The slot f is placed medially in the slideiece e, and when the slide-piece is moved from one end of the compartment to the other V said slot f successively passes under and coincides with all parts of the curved slot 0.

To ignite a match, it is introduced into the compartment b, the inflammable head being in contact with the igniting-plane d, as shown in Fig. 3. The match-head is then moved horizontally along said igniting-plane in the usual manner, causing the inflammable material to ignite wholly within the compartment b. As the match passes along said space it carries along with it the slide-piece e, the curved slot 0 being closed by said slidepiece, except a small space immediately about the match, until the match in its progress arrives at the place of exit, where it passes out of the compartment alight.

It is well known that most of the matches in common use, popularly termed parlormatches, have inflammable heads of such a chemical composition that when violently abrazed they are instantly inflamed, in the process sparks often being projected to a considerable distance, endangering gauzy fabrics near. It is obvious that all such s arks must be Wholly intercepted by the wa ls of the safety-compartment, the match being withdrawn alight and past the detonating stage.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

An ignition device, comprising in combination with a match-box, a slotted compartment attached thereto, an igniting-surface therein, a slide-piece movable over said sur face Within said compartment and having a suitable opening for a match to pass therethrough and contact with said igniting-surface, said slide-piece having its opening so arranged as to progressively partially uncover the slot in said compartment when moved therein.

Signed at Waterloo, Iowa, this 27th day of June, 1905.

RALPH L. STORM. Witnesses:

G. G. KENNEDY, M. E. KENNEDY. 

